Cordcalling Release New Single, Video: "Ransomed Felon" Brian and Denise Conway, collectively known as Cordcalling, have been banging out songs together since 2008. They’ve released two full-lengths, an EP, and singles of wildly unpredictable tunes. Subscribing to the tradition of bands like Guided By Voices or The Ramones where you don’t need a long song to make a good song, Ransomed Felon amps up the anger meter with each biting, verociously verse sung by Denise Conway. Opening lines “I don’t want what the world is selling. I don’t want the lies it’s telling” get straight to the point. Fuzzy guitar riffs from Brian and Denise’s own drum smacks pulsate behind the lyrics. When the song reaches the third and final verse, Denise’s voice has reached a coarse, shrill and seems about to break out of frustration. The recording and mix was masterfully done by Chatham ON’s Ben Srokosz. It is slick, minimal and clean. The music video (available on Youtube) is actual footage of the band’s recording session, providing the listener and viewer an insiders glimpse to the artists in their habitat.

DECEMBER 2017 FIRST FRIDAY RIPPING UP WITH CORDCALLING London ON Cordcalling consisting of husband and wife duo Denise on drums and Brian of guitar, were our in-store entertainment for the evening of the December 1, 2017 First Friday. Doing several interesting cover songs with their own distinctive growl and roar to them, along with originals, many customers compared them to The White Stripes, especially as they were doing a White Stripes song. Some of the other covers they did were U2 ‘Streets With No Name’ where Denise’s vocals very much reminded us of Patti Smith and a version of The Beatles ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ that had an urgency and abruptness to it that made it distinctly their own. Along with these and other covers, they performed many originals from their most recent album release called ‘We Are Still’ . A quote by Jason Schnieder of the Kitchener Record dec 6 Cordcalling-WeAreStill-DigitalCover (1)newspaper describes them very well. This husband-and-wife rock duo is “doing more with less”. “Marching to the beat of their own drum.” They are a force of 2 to be reckoned with. CLICK HERE to view photos that Roland took.

All in all, 2017 was a good year for music in the Forest City. Clubs and concert venues did steady business, most summer festivals drew thousands of fans and London artists produced some really great music. Music, Music, Music On the local recording front, London artists continued to produce excellent albums covering a variety of genres. TVD (Salvation Through Distraction), Dave Semple (Calm Before The Storm), Hantiks (Shift), Sarah Smith (11), Izzy Bartok (From The Streets), Westminster Park (Figure 4: Molt, Rebirth), Texas King (Circles), Andy Chillman (Up Hill Both Ways), Chad Price (S/T), Kate Channer (Revived), Broomsticks & Hammers (Mirror Box), Mountain Of Wolves (Poison), Bath Salts (Mardi Gras), ‘63 Monroe (Jeff ), AskHer (Favourite Things), Cordcalling (We Are Still) and Hybrid Monster (S/T) are just some of the artists who released impressive recordings in 2017.

Cordcalling at Cheeky Monkey for First Friday Sarnia This Week Thursday, November 30, 2017 8:58:34 EST PM Handout/Sarnia This Week London’s critically-acclaimed art rock duo Cordcalling will be performing in-store at Sarnia's Cheeky Monkey on Dec. 1. Handout/Sarnia This Week A husband-and-wife duo that has been destroying the college radio charts with their art rock will be taking names and kicking out the jams at Sarnia's Cheeky Monkey Record Store on Dec. 1 as London’s Cordcalling comes to Sarnia for First Friday festivities. Consisting of lead vocalist, drummer and songwriter Denise Conway and back-up vocalist, guitarist and fellow songwriter Brian Conway, Cordcalling is known for its high-energy, raw and rockin' live show, where the Conways perform critically-acclaimed and unique, original music. With rave reviews from Canadian publications, tours alongside such notable Canadian bands such as Sloan, the Trews and Default, as well as performances at a variety of revered venues – including Toronto's hallowed Horseshoe Tavern – Sarnians can expect Cordcalling to put on a rollicking, unforgettable free show at Cheeky Monkey's 130 Christina St. N. location, running from 7 to 9 p.m.

London Ontario based independent art rock duo, Cordcalling, are performing at Cheeky Monkey Record Store in Sarnia in support of their latest vinyl LP, "We are Still," a bold throwback to old-school recording amidst a digitally saturated market. Cheeky Monkey Record Store is one of many record stores that the duo plans to include on their southern Ontario tour. They are targeting record shops as unique performance spaces since these venues embody the essence of Cordcalling's new album, "We are Still," which celebrates independent music reflected through a nostalgic format - vinyl. The album has already been topping college radio charts and has been featured on "Beyond Mainstream" on K106.3 FM - Great Classics & The Best New Rock.

Interview on Jack FM (London, ON)

The SoHo community is hoping to give this city a breath of fresh air at the SoHo Bar and Grill at 466 South St. The space, where Victoria Tavern used to be, is hoping to serve as a cultural hub for the community, bringing life back into the area “one band at a time.” To make true to their promise, the SoHo will host a triple-act night of music Saturday. You’ll hear from local talent Fiends, Pacanomad, and headliners Cordcalling, the husband-wife art-rock duo of Denise and Brian Conway. Cordcalling will be armed with songs off their 2017 release We Are Still, which was released in April and has since found its away onto the college radio charts. They’ll share these songs live with a local crowd before taking them on a tour through Ontario records stores. They have a love for nostalgia, choosing to record the album on magnetic tap, mix it with analog gear, and release it in multiple formats, including digital, vinyl and CD. To create their latest, they worked with Matt Grady and Kyle Ashbourne of EMAC Studios, who used more analog gear than ever before to create the album. To hear how it all comes to life live, you can catch Cordcalling at SoHo Bar and Grill Saturday. The music starts at 9:30 p.m. with sets from band Fiends and rock outfit Pacanomad.

SATURDAY MORNING WITH HOWIEZOWIE PLAYLIST: “THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM” 24 JUNE 2017 [with special guest in-studio guests: Cordcalling] Stormcalling Block (12:20 {Suggested by Cordcalling, conceptualized by HowieZowie} Hello, Hurricane – Switchfoot (Hello, Hurricane/2009) Hello Hurricane is the seventh studio album by alternative rock band Switchfoot, released on November 10, 2009. It was co-produced by the band and Mike Elizondo, after initially self-producing their work, as well as test runs with producers such as Ken Andrews and Charlie Peacock. The album was recorded mainly in the band's Spot X Studio in their hometown of San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman (lead vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass guitar, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums, percussion), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar, backing vocals). According to Jon Foreman, the name "Switchfoot" comes from a surfing term. "We all love to surf and have been surfing all our lives so to us, the name made sense. To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It's about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music. Flood – Jars of Clay (Jars of Clay/1995) Produced by Adrian Belew and released on their 1995 self-titled debut album, “Flood” is considered to be Jars of Clay's breakthrough song. The album remained in the top 60 albums for much of the year and remained in Billboard 200 for and entire 52-week (one-year) cycle. The album went gold and shortly after attained platinum status. The debut album has now sold well over 2,000,000 copies. The single was a multi-format crossover hit in the United States, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. Here Comes the Sun – Ghost BC (Opus Eponymous/2010) Opus Eponymous (Latin for the self-titled work) is the debut studio album by the Swedish heavy metal band Ghost BC. It was released on October 18, 2010, on the independent record label Rise Above. It was released in North America on January 18, 2011, and in Japan on April 6, 2011. The album was recorded in the band's hometown and produced by Gene Walker. Opus Eponymous was nominated for a Grammis Award (the Swedish equivalent of a Grammy). The Japanese release contains an additional bonus track: a cover of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" A band member, all of whom are referred to only as Nameless Ghouls, explained that the songs on Opus Eponymous were written in 2007 and 2008, around two years before the album was released. Describing why they covered "Here Comes the Sun", a Ghoul said "I've been a fan of Beatles even longer than I've been listening to hard rock, so it made a lot of sense." He explained that the band selects songs to cover based on if they can adapt it into their own: "We sort of found the angle of taking that so and inverting it. And that's something that's sort of the Ghost recipe for doing covers, it has to be a song that has some sort of tongue-in-cheek inversion quality to it. And that song just screamed 'cover'. Dave Grohl played drums on Ghost BC’s cover of ABBA’s “I’m A Marionette?” which was used as a single B-side. sCreamGrrrl's CanCon Corner (10:39) I Can See – Cordcalling (We Are Still/2017) We started off sCreamGrrrl’s Can Con corner with the song called “I Can See” from the band Cordcalling’s 2nd full length album “We Are Still” released this past April. For those unfamiliar with Cordcalling, the band is made up of husband and wife duo Denise and Brian Conway who totally freak me out and I mean that in a good way. Their sound is hard to pin down. They seem so familiar to me yet so unfamiliar. They definitely have a style of their own. I love that about them and am proud to say that they are based out of our very own City of London, Ontario. “We are Still” was recorded here in London at the award winning EMAC Studios. The album has a vintage sound encompassing a bold throwback to "old-school" musical recording, mixing, and Mastering. They are so much fun to catch live so if you get a chance to see Cordcalling, don`t miss them. They have an upcoming gig at the SoHo on Saturday July 8. HowieZowie and I will be there. And you can learn more about them on their official website cordcalling.com and they also have a FB page you can check out.

Cordcalling is thankful to have had their new album "We are Still" featured by Mike McKyes at The Grove Productions on "Beyond Mainstream" on K106.3 FM - Great Classics and Best New Rock - on June 11, 2017! If you missed the show, here is a link to the episode: https://soundcloud.com/beyond-mainstream/cordcalling-jun-11 http://www.thegroveproductions.com/

Up To You – Cordcalling (We are Still/2017) We started off sCreamGrrrl’s Can Con corner with a song called “Up to You” from one of our favourite local treasures – Cordcalling from their 2nd full length album “We Are Still” released this past April. The band Cordcalling is made up of husband and wife duo Denise and Brian Conway who totally freak me out and I mean that in a good way. Their sound is hard to pin down. They seem so familiar to me yet so unfamiliar. They definitely have a style of their own. I love that about them and am proud to say that they are based out of our very own City of London, Ontario. “We are Still” was recorded here in London at the award winning EMAC Studios. The album has a vintage sound encompassing a bold throwback to "old-school" musical recording, mixing, and Mastering. We are very excited for both of them and are happy for their success which is evident in the support they’ve received from The Forest City Arts Awards as one of the most nominated bands and included among the live ceremony performers. They were also been nominated for Fan Favourite in The Jack Richardson London Music Awards. HowieZowie and sCreamGrrrl are most certainly huge fans and they are undeniably one of our favourites. There have also been such wonderful remarks from our local press including James Reaney of the London Free Press, Chris Montanini of The Londoner, Dave Clarke of Scene magazine. We attended their Album Release party at the London Music Club this past April and caught them performing at Grooves on Record Store Day. They are so much fun to catch live so if you get a chance to see Cordcalling, don`t miss them. And you can learn more about them on their official website cordcalling.com and they also have a FB page you can check out to learn more about the band.

All four songs we played for you are from our in studio guests, the band Cordcalling, made up of husband and wife duo Denise and Brian Conway. The last track you heard on sCreamGrrrl’s Can Con corner is called Wicked Desires and one of my favourites. You can find it on their 2010 album titled Obsessed by the Light. We also played 3 new songs for you called My Friend, Untied and Happy from their upcoming 2nd full length album titled “We are Still,” to be released next month on April 8th. HowieZowie and sCreamGrrrl have been fortunate to get a sneak peak at the new album before its official release date. We’ve listened to the album this week, while hanging out in our sun room and I have to tell you that it’s absolutely amazing. These two totally freak me out and I mean that in a good way. Their sound is hard to pin down. They seem so familiar to me yet so unfamiliar. They definitely have a style of their own. The Album Release will take place at the London Music Club in the Big Hall on the main level on April 8th doors open at 6:15pm with Cordcalling hitting the stage at 8pm. Minimum cover is $3 at the door and you can’t beat that. Then on April 22nd Cordcalling will be performing live at Grooves Record Store from 1 to 1:40 pm. And very important to mention that April 22 is Record Store Day, notably the 10th anniversary of record store day and sentimentally just in time for commemorating the independent music scene. You can also pick up hard copies of their LP at Grooves on this day. We promise you will not be disappointed. Admission is free so check them out. And you can find all this information on their official website cordcalling.com and they also have a FB page you can check out that has created these events on-line. Sez Cordcalling: "Happy" is the first track on our new album "We are Still." The following influences may be heard in the song: punk, heavy rock, and even hip hop. It contains many parts that are unique in themselves, but also fit together as a cohesive whole. The message of this track is related to the dystopian American Dream. It is about the vain struggle to find meaning in worldly success and exposes the search for true purpose. "Untied" is the first song that we wrote together (that we've recorded so far). It was created by integrating two song parts that we came up with individually without the original intention of melding them together. When we were searching for songs for our new album, we were listening to the ideas that we each had come up with and we liked these two different parts. We didn't originally think that they would fit together since they are distinct from each other, but, after listening to them over time, we decided that they could be united to form a song of its own. There is an ebb and flow in the way we play "Untied"; it is very much a song that we need to just let guide us rather than trying to force it within technical or stylistic boundaries. This is one song that we actually just kept the first take of in the studio. EMAC's engineer Matt Grady said that it was the best thing that we played all day and he insisted on us keeping the first take even though Brian thought he might not have played it the "right" way. There was something about the way the parts just blended together that made it "feel right". "My Friend" (the second track on "We are Still") also contains influences from a variety of styles, including hip hop and heavy rock. Brian experiments with a bunch of different guitar effects on this tune in order to produce the contrasting sounds that mirror its message of dis-connectivity. "Wicked Desires" is off our first full-length album, called "Obsessed by the Light." It has been a favourite among our listeners, so it has been a standard tune to play at our live shows. It has received the most airplay than any of our other songs, receiving charting positions on college radio and airplay on London, ON's FM 96. We recorded a video for "Wicked Desires" with London, ON's "Wreckless Crew Productions".

Based in the Forest City, Cordcalling – the husband and wife rock duo of Denise (drums/vocals) and Brian Conway (guitar/vocals) – are fi rm believers in ‘doing more with less.’ Since the release of their latest album, Obsessed By The Light, Cordcalling have been hard at work on their next album entitled, We Are Still. Bucking the digital trend in recording, the duo decided to adopt a mostly ‘old school,’ analog-retro approach to producing their newest project. The fi nal product will be pressed onto vinyl. “We stuck to our original vision as much as we could, using analog tape, and analog mixing and mastering gear, all provided by EMAC Studios and Los Angeles’ Capsule Labs. EMAC engineer Matt Grady gratefully pointed out that working on our album forced him (in a good way) to work with the most analog gear that he has ever used on an LP. He also mentioned that at least one of the tape machines hadn’t been used since the 1990’s,” Cordcalling said in a press release. Denise and Brian concede that making the record ‘proved to be challenging,’ in the end, they deemed it a ‘very worthwhile endeavour.’ “We’re able to hear the sonic diff erences that tape and outboard eff ects bring to the music - most notably, warmth, atmosphere, and character - in comparison to modern widely-used digital techniques.” - John Sharpe

Listen to our live interview, which aired on "Saturday Morning with Howie Zowie" on CHRW Radio (94.9 FM) on Record Store Day (April 16, 2016). In it, we talk about our upcoming record, "We are Still," and feature one of our new recorded tracks, "Blinds."

The Healing Power of Art In some ways Brian Strange could not be more different from Brian Conway. Strange is tall and has long hair and is in his early 60’s. Conway, on the other hand, is in his mid thirties. He’s average height with a shaved head. Strange smokes while Conway does not. Conway wears glasses; Strange does not. Strange started going to the City Art Centre four months ago; Conway has been going for the past 20 years. Recently he’s stopped. In some ways Conway’s journey with the City Art Centre has come to a close. For Strange it is just beginning. http://www.camh.ca/en/hospital/about_camh/newsroom/for_reporters/Pages/addictionmentalhealthstatistics.aspx The City Art Centre is on the second floor of an old military supply store near Adelaide and Oxford. It is a place where people with mental health issues can go to paint. They call it art therapy — and for both Brian Strange and Brian Conway it works. “I was isolated and didn’t feel like I could do much,” Conway says with a small smile. He has schizophrenia and says that when he was younger he really struggled with the illness. The City Art Centre gave him and others like him a place to “get things out of your system…work through things.” Brian Strange has depression. It started 10 years ago. He says he doesn’t feel the symptoms every day; they come and go. But he says the worst thing you can do when feeling depressed is go to sleep. “You wake up feeling the same way you did when you went to bed,” he says. After that, he says, the worst thing you can do is stay inside — alone. He recognizes something about mental illness and the City Art Centre which Brian Conway articulates well: that being around other people helps just as much as painting. “Everyone at City Art is positive and easy to get along with and encouraging,” Conway says. “That’s one good thing is that they build people’s confidence.” Conway’s wife, Denise, agrees. “I can see that it made him more confident,” she says, looking at her husband. Before joining the City Art Centre, Conway says he didn’t feel like he could make art at home. Now he paints at home all the time. And not just that — he writes and performs music at home. He plays guitar while Denise plays the drums. They both sing. Together they are Cordcalling, an art rock band. Their albums consist of Brian’s artwork, Denise’s poetry, and the music they come together to create. In that sense Denise says art has “really connected [them] together”. Their latest album is called We Are Still. Denise jokes that it’s a bit of a play on words. They want to let people know that they are still a band and still making music, but also that they have reached a point in their lives where they feel at rest — peaceful. Part of that peace comes from creating of art because, Denise says, art is about “expressing yourself from your innermost being.” While every song is different Denise says that part of that means that they want to “inspire people to have hope in life.” But our other Brian is no stranger to music either. He is a classically trained composer who graduated from the Royal Conservatory in Toronto. After he played in various progressive rock bands and toured across Ontario and Quebec. He says there’s a parallel between the type of music he likes and the way he paints. Progressive rock is always changing time signature and style. Brian says he wants his art to feel the same, and tries not to get “stuck in the same genre all the time.” When he paints he, like Conway, “just lets things go in his mind.” After that ideas start to form. He starts by painting the background and then slowly moves inward to his main subject. While there aren’t any subjects he wouldn’t paint, he says he prefers “to stay away from landscapes because the world is full of tens of thousands of landscapes.” At any given time, he has a list of 40 or so ideas he wants to paint. Most take anywhere from one day to two weeks to create. His favourite work and self-proclaimed masterpiece, however, took two months. It depicts “a guy trying to get a door open and he’s put his foot against the door and he’s pulling against the door to get a girl in.” His other subjects include flying toast and Louis Armstrong. Strange used to attend other clubs like the City Art Centre, but none, he says, were anywhere near as good. He describes some of the other clubs as “dungeons” so stuffed with people that they were “literally bumping into each other.” He likes that the City Art Centre is more open, with lots of natural light. He also likes that everyone is polite and careful not to disturb anyone focused on their work. He says there are rules that make sure everyone behaves. He likes these rules. Increase in Londoners who reported Fair/Poor mental health. Population only increased by about 15,000 during this time. http://www.lfpress.com/2015/06/23/survey-shows-132-per-cent-hike-in-residents-with-perceived-mental-health-problems Conway agrees. He says the rules help maintain a positive environment. Although he admits that sometimes “someone’s struggling [and] it can be a little difficult,” he says it’s nothing worse that what you would encounter in any other community, like a workplace or a family or a social group. Both Brians agree there isn’t anything they would change about the City Art Centre. And while Brian Conway doesn’t go anymore to paint he wouldn’t be where he is today if he had never gone at all. Maybe one day Brian Strange will stop going as well. But for now they’ll both keep painting.

Art Rock - we are creative with a raw, minimalistic approach. Who are your main influences musically? The White Stripes, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin.

What do you hope to achieve in music?

We view music as a creative and expressive outlet. Besides the enjoyment that we receive from it, we hope to inspire people to seek after truth, love, and goodness.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

We performed at Canadian Music Week in Toronto, which was an honour since the festival is so renown and it included headliners such as Sloan and The Trews.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

When we tried to book our first gig, we didn't even have a copy of our music on CD, only on a cassette tape. The booker at the bar didn't have a tape player, so Brian had to drive home to get his walkman (lol). Although it was not the typical way to book a gig, it worked out and the show successful.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

"Wicked Desires" because it shows how much passion and power we can pack into a fairly simple tune. It is our single that radio stations have played the most.We also have an official video for it, which may be viewed on our Youtube page.

Where can we listen to it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LS_Mn-NSyQ http://www.cordcalling.com/

Where can we find out more about your music?

www.cordcalling.com

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/cordcalling/id287156500

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cordcalling2

https://www.youtube.com/user/cordcalling

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cordcalling/6362868683

https://twitter.com/cordcalling

http://www.reverbnation.com/cordcalling

https://soundcloud.com/cordcalling

http://www.sonicbids.com/band/cordcalling/

Anything else you’d like to say about your band/music that I forgot to ask?

We are currently working on new songs for an analog recording, which will eventually be pressed onto a vinyl record. We plan to tour with our upcoming album in select cities in Ontario and venues in London, UK.

A benefit show in aid of the Canadian Diabetes Association was held on July 13 at APK and indie rock duo Cordcalling ñ Denise Conway (vocals/drums) and Brian Conway (vocals/ guitar) -- took an active part in its success. “We are very enthusiastic about the cause since so many people are affected by diabetes, including some of our family members. We were able to perform our music at the fundraiser, and Brian donated an original painting to help raise funds for the cause. Since Cordcalling is more than music, this is the perfect opportunity to use our additional artistic talents to assist with this important cause,” said Denise. Cordcalling are currently working on new music and preparing to perform at a number of events this summer. “There are a lot of exciting changes taking place with our project. Since Brian paints original artwork and I write poetry, we are starting to incorporate these two mediums with our music. We have also been writing new songs to be recorded, mixed, and mastered all-analog, and to eventually be pressed onto a vinyl record. We have already had some material recorded at OIART, and we are planning on recording more songs at EMAC, hopefully in the fall.”

Hot ticket: Bands serious about music and charity

The band Rhino Halo has organized a diabetes fundraiser to support two of its members who are affected by diabetes. The evening will include a series of musical sets, a bit of comedy between each one, and a silent auction — all to support the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Cordcalling, left, will kick things off at 9 p.m. with their quirky rock stylings. Denise Conway leads the way on vocals and drums, while Brian Conway contributes both backing vocals and guitar. They have one full-length album to their name (so far), which dropped in November 2010. The release, titled When I Scream, is packed with high-energy tracks and creative songwriting (Denise has a flare for the poetic).

Matt Ker follows at 9:40 p.m.; then Undying Promises are on at 10 p.m., Rhino Halo will take the crowd through until 11:40 p.m., while Kevin Avram will be on until midnight. One final performer is yet to be announced.

SCENE Magazine

June 07, 2012

John Sharpe

Canadian Musician Magazine

May 19, 2011

Ben Conoley

On paper, London, ON's Cordcalling have a lot in common with The White Stripes. The male/female guitar/drum duo plays loud, blues-influenced rock; however, the similarities largely end there.Cordcalling's somewhat experimental approach allows them to work a lot of sound into tight two-peice compositions. The husband and wife duo of Denise and Brian Conway take their songs in any number of directions. "What I Have" boasts a country-blues feel while "When I scream" contains a lot more garage and punk.The pair recently recorded their debut full-length, "Obsessed By The Light", which followed a well-received three-song EP. While Cordcalling have a lot of experience playing to London's healthy music scene, they're hoping the strength of their new songs will give them the opportunity to tour outside of their hometown, exposing them to new audiences. The band's willingness to incorporate a wide range of influences into their sound is a bit of a risky endeavour. And while the band occasionally misses the mark, there is enough done right to demonstrate that the young band is developing what promises to be a exciting approach to music.

Entertainment Music
A style of their own
REANEY'S PICK
By JAMES REANEY, THE LONDON FREE PRESS
Last Updated: November 17, 2010 4:37pm
VIDEO: Free Press entertainment reporter James Reaney looks at upcoming events in the world of London A&E. This week: Cordcalling
This week's Reaney's Pick guests are a two-piece band with one purpose just now -- Cordcalling is launching its first full-length album this week.
The married couple of Denise Conway (lead vocals/drums) and Brian Conway (vocals/guitar) are heard in one of Obsessed By The Light's songs What I Have in the lfpress.com video. The London indie rock duo performs unplugged style in Wednesday's video.
On Thursday, Cordcalling plays the London Music Club. The duo has an in-store appearance at Grooves in downtown London on Saturday afternoon.
The two met when they were growing up in the Thorndale-St. Marys area. Later, they moved to London. A couple for about 10 years, they became a rock duo a few years ago when the drummers for the trio forerunner's to Cordcalling didn't seem to work out.
Denise Conway had wanted to play drums and moved behind the kit.
"The White Stripes gave me the courage to do it," she says of the inevitable Meg-White-as-an-influence question. Without copying White's drumming or The White Stripes, Conway was inspired by the Michigan rock duo's drums-and-guitar approach to rock. "It has been done. It has been successful," she says, recalling her reaction to the idea of playing drums in a two-piece band.
Cordcalling's 2008 album was When I Scream, a three-song maxi-single. Obsessed By the Light was recorded at Charterhouse Studios in London.
"We've wanted to get it out for a while. We want to get recording again," Conway says.
Cordcalling's self-description says its music uses "unpredictable time changes and (a) fusion of various music styles." London rock critics hear punk, Goth, grunge and more in the duo's compact, high-energy songs.
"It's a real mixture of styles. It does seem to have its own style, too," Brian Conway says of What I Have. Those words could also apply to Obsessed By The Light as an album.
The band's name has a spiritual meaning. Cordcalling says: "Cord is the spiritual bond that connects them to one another and to their Maker. Calling is symbolic of their belief that everyone has a purpose."
--- --- ---
IF YOU GO
What: CD-launching appearances by London duo Cordcalling this week.
Thursday, doors at 7:30 p.m. - The London Music Club, 470 Colborne St. The Randals and Kyle Peterkin are also on the bill. $3 or $15 with CD purchase. Visit cordcalling.com or londonmusicclub.com or call 519-640-6996.
Saturday, 3 p.m. - Grooves, 353 Clarence St. Free. Call 519-640-6714.
E-mail james.reaney@sunmedia.ca, read James's blog or follow Jamesatlfpress on Twitter.

Brian, though, found his way back to '70s acts like Led Zeppelin as a teenager growing up beside Denise out in the country between Thornhill and St. Marys.

"It's kind of a mixture of all different styles," he said. "We just like to be creative, be unique."

The band recently finished recording their first full-length album, a followup to a previous three-song maxi-single recorded at Charterhouse Studio.

"This time we were a lot more relaxed actually," said ­Denise. They have never fully enjoyed the studio experience, preferring instead to perform live, but the new album "Obsessed by the Light" definitely isn't over-produced.

"We wanted to keep it kind of rough and not too smooth or polished," Brian said. "I'm happy with it I think it sounds really good."

The tracks will be familiar to concert-goers who have caught Cordcalling shows in the past. The album includes their original three recordings plus eight more songs from their repertoire of sometimes angsty, sometimes poetic, distortion-driven tunes.

"Everybody can get something out of it I think," Denise said. "A lot of people will say it sounds angry, but it's angry and hopeful at the same time. There's always a hopeful message in there as well."

Londoners familiar or curious about Cordcalling will get a chance to hear them live at the London Music Club tonight where they are celebrating the release of their album along with local opening acts The Randals and Kyle Peterkin.

They said they are hoping the album will provide them a springboard to also play their music outside of the London scene.

"Once we have the CD released we want to get as many people there as possible then go to different places," Brian said. "Because we have played these songs a lot in London."

"(The show) will be a little bit different," Denise added. "We're going to add some visuals and things we normally wouldn't have in the show."

Brian – also an abstract painter – will be bringing some of his pieces along to tonight's show, many of which relate with tracks from the album, written by either him or Denise, but rarely together.

Building on the buzz of their three-song EP When I Scream, local duo Cordcalling has been hard at work on their full-length disc. Formed by vocalist/drummer Denise Conway and guitarist Brian Conway, the venture of this husband-and-wife combo might make you think White Stripes, but the primal and explosive vocals Denise brings to the mic is more akin to Patti Smith or the riotous spirit of Sleater Kinney. Having performed at Canadian Music Week, sharing bills with everyone from Sloan to Illscarlett, as well as earning nominations at the London Music Awards, the band is certainly one to watch in the next year. They'll play Black Shire Pub on Saturday night with More More and Pilots of Dawn. The show starts at 9 p.m.

Cordcalling are a London-based guitar/drums duo comprised of husband and wife Brian and Denise Conway. Although they had both worked with larger groups, Denise says Cordcalling's duo format seemed to best suit the goals the pair had set for themselves. "We started out working with a few drummers, but none of them ever really stuck with it," she says on the bands's Web site. "I mean, being married, Brian and I already have a commitment, so it was hard to find someone we could have that same kind of musical connection with. I was playing bass, but one day about two years ago I said, 'Well, why don't I just play drums?" Recently, Cordcalling announced that they had finished mastering their full-length CD, which was recorded and mixed by Andre Doucette at the Forest City's Charterhouse Studios. A follow-up to their debut 2008 EP, When I scream, the album will contain edited versions of three previously recorded songs in addition to eight new tunes. In advance of the album's release, one of its songs, 'Thank-You' has been included in a promotional video for London's City Art Centre and will also be on a compilation CD associated with 1000 Acts of Kindness. Cordcalling will celebrate the release of the 1000 Acts of Kindness Compilation CD on Wednesday, October 13 at the London Music Club (470 Colborne St.). Prior to that date, Cordcalling, wsg Pilots of Dawn and More More, will perform at the Black Shire Pub (511 Talbot St.) on Saturday, September 25.

As the ‘arts reporter’ I get sent invitations and requests to see, read or listen to a variety of creative outputs. Over the past several months I’ve received several new CDs and with our hectic summer festival season on the wane, I thought this would be a great time to catch up on my listening and offer up my critical thoughts.

Artist and their production companies send out CDs to media outlets for a variety of reasons, primarily to get reviews and media attention, with the hope this will in turn generate sales.

Others, like Great White’s Back to the Rhythm that came out last summer, was sent as background prior to my interview with Jack Russell in preparation for the Rock the Park story, but with the same end in mind.

I enjoyed Great White’s CD but I’ll save the page space for London artists. However, I will add that the band put on an amazing show with the entire Rock the Park line up and park layout working exceptionally well while raising money for charity.

I also received Algerian-French punk star Rachid Taha’s Rock El Kasbah: The Best Of, in promotion of a London concert on July 6 that was later cancelled. The cancellation was truly unfortunate because Taha’s music would have broad appeal in London with its world beat influences and dance, punk and funk sounds sung in Arabic, French and English.

While language could have been perceived as a barrier, I found the music with its blending of old and new world sounds compelling in a way that transports you to that place that only music can.

I also receive unsolicited Canadian releases like Alana Myles new CD Black Velvet that will eventually find its way into assistant editor Sean Meyer’s collection as he indicates he has “all her previous releases.” Her sound is adult contemporary with a solid Canadian rhythm and blues soul.

Fans, and those of us 40-something and still ‘in the game’, will connect with track three, Prime of My Life, while track 11, Trouble, is reminiscent of previous releases with that signature Alana Myles sound.

Then there’s Vancouver’s The Painted Birds, formed in 2005, which played the London Music Club’s Cellar Lounge on Feb. 28 and the Bristol Pub on June 4 with their inaugural CD So Much For The Rain. They have been compared to Cold play but at times it felt like a Canadian fusion of the Northern Pikes and Sloan. Like those bands, it’s music that quickly grows on you.

In terms of Londoners, or in this case a former Londoner, there’s DO Iomega’s I'm Your Man, released in Canada on May 27, scheduled in the U.S. Sept. 27 and in Europe in October. This is his second CD and a follow up to Love Stories in 2006. The production is solid as is DK’s soulful lyrical voice in his approach to the classic jazz materials chosen for this CD.

Most recently I received a three-song maxi-single from Cordcalling, When I Scream, consisting London couple Denise and Brian Conway. While the recorded songs are not about their relationship, Denise says it’s a big part of how they came to play together.

“It’s one of the reasons it works out well,” she says. “We met through music and Brain does art and I write poetry also. We’ve worked with other musicians but nothing ever really stuck. After a while we realized that it worked out best for the two of us. We’ve also considered using some electronic instrumentation.”

In their biography they claim their “unpredictable time changes and fusion of musical styles make their live performances beam with raw energy,” which is exactly what I thought while I was listening to the CD – as art house rockers they would be great live but as a guitar and drum duo those unpredictable time changes and sound fusions would benefit from a few more instruments and polish if they were hoping to move into the mainstream. However, everyone involved in the recording is pleased with the results.

The three-song maxi-single was recorded at MAC Studios by Robert Nation and engineered Matt Grady. They had also hoped to return to the studio this summer but a heavy tour schedule has pushed that back.

“We had most of the control (during the recording) because we don’t like people telling us what to so with our music but we did take some suggestions and we’re all pleased. Matt liked the raw grunginess of the sound,” Denise says. This is our first CD together as a duo and just recently got on CHRW Radio Western’s play list. Our full length CD, was set to be recorded this summer but has been set back because we’ve had so many gigs this summer.”

WANT MORE INFO?

You can see Cordcalling perform live Friday, Sept. 26, 8 p.m. at The Embassy Hotel with Zealots Desire, Meath, The Randal’s, Underwater Solitaire and Twisted Alliance, $5 admission.

For more information on visit their My Space page or their recently launched website at www.cordcalling.com.

CMW Canadian Music Week '09 kicks off in Toronto on March 11. Chances are you've not heard of many of the bands playing the fest, so we sent out an email Q&A to help everyone get acquainted. We'll be presenting several of them here on The Ampersand as a preview to the festival. CMW 2009:

Cordcalling

Describe your music in ten words or less. Raw; passionate; creative; alive Where do you call home? London, ON Is this your first CMW? If yes, tell us what you expect from it? If not, give some advice to a band whoís playing it for the first time. Yes, this is our first CMW. We are excited to be a part of the festival since we will meet a lot of people in the industry and just have a blast! Had you had been invited to play at Barack Obama's inauguration, which of your songs would you have chosen to play and why? Wicked Desires since it is basically about ridding ourselves of our self-centered motivations. I believe that Barack would agree with this message. If your live show was a colour, which colour would it be? I think it would be a mosaic of colours reflecting the diversity and creativity in our music. With so many bands playing CMW, why should people come see you? Because we are different..in a good way. If there is one thing that weíve heard about our music, it is that it stands out, but, not just for the sake of being different..itís just who we are. We will mess with their ideology about music, life, etc. Finish this sentence: When I'm on stage, I..... am lost in a world of anger, love, peace and adrenaline. What's the most memorable thing that's happened while you were on tour? Managing to cram 2 guitars, 2 amps, a drum kit, etc, plus the occasional extra person and the two of us into a Honda Civic before we got a van!

Imagine finding the person to spend the rest of your life with; a person who happens to share the same passion for music as you do, and same career aspirations as well! Sounds like a dream. But Brian and Denise Conway are living it as the raw and intense rock duo, Cordcalling.

Interview: Cordcalling

Members: Brian Conway Denise Conway

Sound: edgy rock

Describe how Cordcalling formed:

Well, Brian and I were both musicians and we fell inlove with one another and got married. It was a natural evolution towards the formation of our duo Cordcalling. We have played with other musicians over the years, but the dynamics were never quite right. We work best asa duo since we share similar musical styles and views. Also, itis very practical for us, since we can make decisions just between the two of us - something that we have had a lot of practice at already.

How would you describe the "essence" of Cordcalling?

The "essence" of Cordcalling is bringing apositive vibe to people through relating to universal but very personal humanexperiences. Cordcalling's sound is an eclectic mixture of punk, swing, country and blues. Our raw feel and unpredictable time changes have beennoted as some of the qualities that set us apart from other bands/duos. It is fun music but also very intense and lyrical.

As I understand, you do "more with less". Howdoes that affect your sound? Do you think that gives you an advantage or a disadvantage in this industry?

We don't like to overemphasize that we are a duo simply because we think of ourselves as people making music, just as 5-piece bands and soon are doing. We believe that it is people's abilities to be creative with music that defines their sound the most rather than how big their band is. However, we don't pretend that being a duo doesn't affect the music at all. Of course, we cannot achieve the busy and integrated sound that comes from a band with 3 guitars, a bass, drums, and 4 singers...but that isn't what we are wanting to achieve. Just as there are advantages to a having a full band, there are advantages to being a duo. Musically, Ithink that there is simply more room to be creative and to use dead air to provide emphasis. We like to hear every instrument's individual parts,which is a lot easier when there are less musicians. I guess it just comes down to what sound you like and what you are aiming for.

How would you describe the music scene in your hometown of London, Ontario? Have you, or are you planning to tour elsewhere?

The music scene in London is okay. For the size of the city, there really are a lot of venues to play, although, just recently, a few of them have closed down. I would say that there is a healthy music scene here, which is demonstrated by the amount of posters that decorate the downtown and community newspapers daily. We have played a lot in London over the past two and a half years and have graced a few other towns/cities such as Toronto, Burlington, Kitchener, St Thomas, Woodstock, etc. Yes, we are definitely planning to tour more extensively in the not-so-distant future; however there are no concrete plans right now.

Could you explain why you picked the name Cordcalling?

Cord symbolizes the spiritual connectedness between all of humanity. Calling is a reflection of our belief that we are meant to share our experiences with others through music.

Who are your favourite artists and how do you think theyhave influenced your music, if they have?

My favourite band as a teenager was Nirvana, therefore, they influenced me in the way that I like to express myself freely and sincerely through music and lyrics.

Brian's favourite band was Led Zeppelin, therefore, he has been influenced by their blues/rock guitar style.

What is the best part about making music?

It is fun...it is such an innate part of who we are. It is also a release. Just the act of creating is so exciting - it is a subconscious expression.

What do you hope people will gain from listening to your music?

A sense of purpose. A sense of belonging. Of course,we also hope that they enjoy the aesthetics of our music and our live shows.

Any upcoming news/ events/ releases we should know about?

We are playing The Richmond Hotel in London on Sat, Jan 17.

We are also recording an interview/performance on Jan 20 on 106.9 The X FM to be aired at a later date.

Where would people go to learn more about you, or to purchase your music?

Our website is www.cordcalling.com. Our Myspace page is www.myspace.com/cordcalling. We are also on various other sites, which people may get to from our website.

Our CD, "When I Scream", is available for purchase on Itunes, CD Baby, Groupie tunes, PayPlay, Trade bit, and Ruckus (all of these are online stores)

Our CD is also available at Grooves Record Store, downtown London, ON.

The Joys unplugged @ the Wortley where we meet The Takeoff & Cordcalling followed by the latest from the Medway Valley heritage forest & an impassioned plea that Sandy Levin be added to The Free Press Citizen 1 list of honour
Posted: 2009-01-23 08:32:07 Last updated: 2009-01-23 08:32:07
There were three of The Joys - bassist Ken Ross (cool Specials ska hat), guitarist Mike McKyes (tight-fighting black hat) and singer/guitarist Sarah Smith (fine looking tattoo) - playing at the Wortley last night. With drummer Kevin Komatsu stranded with car problems in Hamilton, they were a little nervous about how it sounded. I thought it sounded fine, especially hearing new versions of songs from Unfold, including the title track & Fly.
It was all new to them, Sarah Smith said after the first set. She has one of the great voices in London rock history & even over all the talking you could hear her in a nicely powerful but not overpowering room-filling way. Which if you have heard her isn't entirely a surprise.
Everyone was having fun (always a fine Thursday night idea) but the talking really surprised me. I was over in the part of the bar where you could stand & watch the Knights lose & presumably weren't there solely for The Joys. Actually, there were at least two duos right there too so they were listening for sure. I'll get to The Takeoff and Cordcalling in a minute.
Mike McKyes had a long rockabilly roots country solo on Me & Bobby McGee (I guess Janis Joplin was being referenced about the same time on last night's 30 Rock episode which I'll watch today) & that got the first more or less universal cheer. Sarah asked about people who had to work tomorrow (ie. Friday) & people who didn't & later there was a big singalong about what's going one & once again London's hardest-working band triumphed.
Actually, The Joys may not see it that way, what with the unplugged (Ken Ross on electric bass, playing quietly, with the two guitarists on acoustic instruments) idea being an experiment. I would like to hear this fine experiment repeated in, oh the London Music Club, where there would be joy in the land with their drummer & car safely arrived & the fans could listen & party & cheer when Sarah Smith thanks them for coming out on a Thursday night. Which they did last night at the Wortley come to think of it.
Anyway, the first duo I met proved to the two likely lads known as The Takeoff . They are guitarist Mike Ridder and keyboard player Pat Dryburgh. The Takeoff was to take the stage between two Joys sets last night & the last Impala to Sherwood Forest needed its driver so I missed them. I do like their attitude. After some discussion, Mike & Pat suggested Matchbox 20 as someone they might sound like & then went on to add: "Adult pop . . . the kind of concert you'd take your mom to . . . look out, Michael Buble."
Good to hear. I gather The Takeoff represents a meeting of musicians from other bands & they will be playing Winks later this month. Listen up.
Sitting just in front of me were the two members of a more established duo Cordcalling. We had a nice talk (okay so I did some of the talking during The Joys, too, but I used my soft sepulchral voice) & as always I was impressed by Cordcalling's commitment to getting their music out there & the serious joy they take in listening to other performers on the London music scene.
Before all that, I had been at a community meeting at Orchard Park public school over a proposal to put a bridge & further pathways in our beloved Medway Valley, These developments, detailed by city hall staff who were there, would connect our bank of the mighty Medway to the east bank near the old Elsie Perrin Williams estate. The figure of $200,000 was thrown around with some disgust (my hearing might be bad on the actual number) by neighbours who didn't see the need or value in the project given the economy, the environment etc.
I arrived v. late - which didn't stop me from speaking, it seldom does - & so need more details on what's going on. Later, I will check the community association's website - www.orchardparksherwoodforestratepayers.ca - for more information.
I can say two things. First, anyone who tells you the environment has vanished as an issue is wrong. The passion with which neighbours from our quiet & once remote part of London spoke about the Medway Valley & the need to preserve it was beautiful & inspiring.
Second. Hooray for Sandy Levin. It turns out the former city councillor, who once represened Ward One under the old boundaries, is the president of the Orchard Park Sherwood Forest Ratepayers. As someone who was president (playing a tiny role) when the neighbourhood was involved in a major fundraising campaign to help the city will some enhancements in the valley (a stairway, lookout & a much smaller bridge), I am proud to see Sandy leading the organization.
I miss his thoughtful & thorough approach on London council. But he is the same calm, consensus-builder willing to ask the questions that need to be asked & get the clarifications required. Our councillor Nancy Branscombe was also at the meeting & once again impressed me with her willingness to listen to all sides & work with people.
I'm not sure that Sandy Levin has been mentioned in The Free Press's v. good honour roll called Citizen 1. The requirements defy easy summary. As an honour roll, Citizen I has boundaries vast enough to take in greatest Londoner ever Sir Adam Beck and former UWO football coach Larry Haylor. That would seem to make it an informal hall of fame which would welcome Sandy Levin as one of its most esteemed members.
Powers that be, please consider this a nomination for Sandy Levin as a Citizen 1. If he is in there already, please consider it an endorsement of that choice.

Scene and Canadian Music Week salute local talent LONDON, ON. -- Now celebrating its 7th Anniversary, the London Music Awards (LMA) continues to honour and promote London-area musicians, along with individuals and organizations who support London's vibrant music scene. The LMA give fans the opportunity to nominate their favourite musicians and other industry players and then cast their vote for the eventual winners. This year, Scene received over 650 nominations from London music fans -- about 10% more than last year! The nominations included a wide variety of musicians in over 20 categories of music and music-related activities. Now that the nominating process is completed, voting will commence on January 29. Fans can either vote online or via paper ballots in Scene. Those who receive the greatest number of votes will receive a London Music Award in their respective category. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 10, 7:00 p.m. at the 2009 London Music Awards Ceremony to be held at the The Wolf Performance Hall. Tickets are available at the Grand Theatre Box Office (471 Richmond St.) or by phone at (519) 672-8800. In addition to honouring musicians in their hometown, the London Music Awards also promotes London-area musicians at three key music festivals in North America. They are Canadian Music Week International (CMW), The North by Northeast Music Festival (NXNE) and the South by Southwest Music Festival (SXSW). First up is Canadian Music Week (CMW), Canada's leading annual entertainment event dedicated to the expression and growth of the country's music, media and entertainment industries. Now in its 26th year, Rogers Wireless CMW combines two information-intensive conferences; a cutting edge trade exposition; five awards shows and the nation's largest New Music Festival. Scheduled for March 11 - March 14, 2009, CMW will take place at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel and at over 45 live music venues in downtown Toronto. Gene Simmons will be a featured artist keynote speaker at this year's CMW on Thursday, March 12, 11:00 a.m. Simmons will speak about his various business endeavours and experiences as the co-founder of the rock super-group KISS. As far as local artists are concerned, Scene is proud to once again sponsor a special showcase for London musicians at the CMW. The five bands/performers who received the highest number of nominations for the LMA received special invitations to take part in the showcase. The Scene Showcase will take place on Thursday, March 12 at Holy Joe's (651 Queen St. West) in Toronto. This showcase is the perfect opportunity for new London bands and musicians to display their talents to both fans and record company A&R reps on the lookout for next year's stars. The line-up at this year's CMW Scene Showcase includes: singer-songwriter Justin Plet (9:00 p.m.), alternative rock group Pilgrim (10:00 p.m.), indie rock duo Cordcalling (11:00 p.m.), hard rock power trio Redinger (Midnight) and alternative rock group Elworthy (1:00 a.m.). Although they will not be performing at the Scene Showcase, other London artists slated to appear at CMW include Baptized In Blood, Basia Bulat and The Job. For $35 a limited number of early bird Canadian Music Fest wristbands are available now and can be purchased at www.canadianmusicfest.com or by calling (905) 858-4747. Your wristband gets you into the CMW Scene Showcase, as well as exclusive gigs, afternoon shows, club nights and after parties throughout the course of this four-day event.

CORDCALLING DOING MORE WITH LESS
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORDCALLING 1
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORDCALLING
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORDCALLING
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Email the author August 28, 2008
Jason Schneider
for NightLife
With a name derived from a belief that all humanity shares a common connection, on top of each individual having a specific purpose, Cordcalling certainly doesn't shy away from big ideas when it comes to their music.
However, it's all done within the limitations that London-based husband and wife Brian and Denise Conway have set up for themselves as a guitar/drums duo.
The pair recently released their debut three-song EP, When I Scream, which shows a lot of diversity in a short amount of time, from early '90s grunge, to more experimental passages based on some highly evocative lyrics. What also defies convention is that Denise handles the lead vocals while also keeping time behind the drum kit.
"We started out working with a few drummers, but none of them ever really stuck with it," she says. "I mean, being married, Brian and I already have a commitment, so it was hard to find someone we could have that same kind of musical connection with. I was playing bass, but one day about two years ago I said, 'Well, why don't I just play drums? I've always had a feel for a lot of different instruments, so it didn't really scare me at all."
The Conways have spent time with other bands in London, playing everything from swing to reggae, but Denise says forming Cordcalling was their chance to finally put their personal stamp on something. "I think we started this band with the intention of having complete creative freedom," she says. "The feedback we get most often from people is that they never know where our songs are going to go. The time changes are unpredictable, and we generally try to make each song different from all the rest. When we picked the songs for the EP, we were conscious of having them fit together in some way, but the other songs we have ready to record go off in a lot of other directions."
Denise says they plan to start recording a full-length album in the fall, although at this point it should still be a reflection of their live sound. "We're kind of purists that way," she says. "We don't want our live show to be that different from the recording, because we hate seeing bands where we expect this big sound and it's not there. We just want to present ourselves as we are."
While Cordcalling's approach may be unique, they're still part of a growing trend of two-piece bands, something the pair is just beginning to realize.
"It does get a little tiresome being automatically compared to The White Stripes all the time when in reality we don't sound anything like them at all," Denise says. "We've done gigs, where out of frustration, we'd play the riff from Seven Nation Army and then abruptly go into one of our songs. Normally that gets the message across that we're trying to do our thing, and people are more receptive after that."
CORDCALLING PLAYS FRIDAY AT THE CIRCUS ROOM IN KITCHENER WITH GUESTS THE ECSTATICS. COVER IS $5 AND THE SHOW STARTS AT 9 P.M. TO HEAR A SAMPLE, GO TO WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CORDCALLING.